CONCEPT
The variegated rhythms performed by expert drummer T. R. Sundaresan appeal to Indian and non-Indian musicians and listeners alike. And this for good reasons, being marked by virtuosity and intricacy in equal measure. 

This paper illustrates some of the key elements of his chosen art (Carnatic or Karnatak music); an art that has proven influential all over India as pointed out by Pandit Ravi Shankar in his 1999 autobiography Raga Mala.(*)
The sheer joy and beauty of South Indian rhythm are conveyed by means of visual analogy; ready for practice right here or alternatively, from the transcription available for downloading and printing:
Geometric patterns applied to music (korvai), here derived from those seen on colourful saris worn by Indian women (also called korvai). 

In both these contexts, patterns are thus based on numerical reckoning: mind-boggling drumming and fabrics of rare beauty, all created on special occasions and rooted in ancient traditions. 

This approach lends itself to exploring the relationship between music and numbers in a variety of educational contexts, considering the following idea prvevailing among pedagogues and musicians all over the world, and for centuries:

“Music is the pleasure the human mind experiences from counting without being aware that it is counting.” – Gottfried Leibniz (1646-1716), quoted by Daniel Q. Naiman (Johns Hopkins University, Whiting School of Engineering) 

https://www.ams.jhu.edu/dan-mathofmusic/

CREDITS
“Cosmic Order, Cosmic Play: an Indian approach to rhythmic diversity" by Ludwig Pesch

Originally published in 2001 by KIT Publishers in Rhythm, A Dance in Time by Elisabeth den Otter (ed.) in conjunction with the exhibition titled Ritme, dans van de tijd at the Tropenmuseum Amsterdam

AUDIO
T. R. Sundaresan – jati syllables and morsing mouth harp
Ludwig Pesch – recordings and cymbals

AUDIO AND TRANSCRIPTION FOR PRACTICE

The renditions by T. R. Sundaresan (see audio files above) are supplemented by the following print-friendly transcriptions:

Korvai_Loom_Exercise_Syllables.pdf

Korvai_Loom_Sundaresan_Pesch_Explanations.pdf

(*) Ravi Shankar realized the possibilities of such computations when adapting complex metric and cadential patterns (tihai) for the sitar: ‘The Carnatic system's mathematical approach to rhythm and accurate application of them are also stunning. [...] As far back as 1945, I was absorbing the essence of these from the fixed calculative systems of the Carnatic system [...]’. Ravi Shankar and George Harrison (ed.), Raga Mala: The Autobiography of Ravi Shankar (New York: Welcome Rain Publishers, 1999), 294. 

Source: p. 204, Footnote 24 “Unity in Diversity, Antiquity in Contemporary Practice? South Indian Music Reconsidered” in Gardner, Matthew; Walsdorf, Hanna (Hrsg.). Musik – Politik – Identität. Göttingen: Universitätsverlag, 2016 (Musikwissenschaften)

This essay evolved from a presentation for participants at the music conference “Music | Musics. Structures and Processes” held at Goettingen University (4-8 September 2012).

SOUTH INDIAN MUSIC

The “classical” music of South India is an amalgam of regional traditions and practices. Increasingly codified in the past five centuries, it is now known as Carnatic or Karnatak music. Like the Sanskrit term Karnātaka Sangītam, these Anglicisms denote “traditional” music besides distinguishing South Indian music from its northern (Hindustani) counterpart. Progressive scholars have long espoused the common goal of making teaching more effective for both idioms while safeguarding “authentity”.

Source: Excerpt from the Abstract for the above-mentioned essay, “Unity in Diversity, Antiquity in Contemporary Practice? South Indian Music Reconsidered” by Ludwig Pesch

This essay and more contents are freely available for downloading: see PDF in the present DOWNLOAD OPTIONS menu.

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